Golf club carriers



Feb. 17, 1970 BETHEL I 3,495,641

GOLE CLUB CARRIERS Filed July 3, 1968 1--SI v 5' INVENTOR. [o/v M BETA/EL,

United States Patent US. Cl. 1501.5 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lightweight golf club carrier having a plurality of elongated hollow or tubular members in longitudinally adjacent relationship respectively connected at the base and upper portions thereof by a base member and a collar having an interconnecting carrying strap. Alternative embodiments of this invention employ hollow or tubular members which may be removed to facilitate carrying variable numbers of clubs, and a holder for golf balls and tees. A further modification provides a longitudinal space between the exterior members of the carrier for holding various golf related items.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) This invention lies within the field of golf club carriers and bags.

(2) Golf club carriers and bags have been made in different forms to provide easy handling as well as protection to the clubs.

The most common form of golf club carrier is an elongated bag. The bag has a strap attached at the edge of its open end, and is secured at the other end to the bag. Such bags are generally made from a heavy fabric and are reinforced by plastic, leather, and/or metal trim to provide wear resistant characteristics to the bag. The bags are also generally provided with a pocket stitched to the bag, or integrally formed therewith for carrying golf balls and tees, as well as other golf related items.

In order to prevent damage to the shafts and heads of the golf clubs which are placed in the bag, various separators have been utilized. Some of these separators comprise a series of webbed openings bridging strips, While others use tubular inserts. H

A substantial drawback to the foregoing bags is that they are heavy and cumbersome, and do not provide a simplified means to carry golf clubs'in a protective manner. Such golf bags have been found to be particularly cumbersome and nonutilitarian when they are used on a par three or pitch and putt course. When playing on such courses, the golfer is subjected to carrying a large heavy bag, while he might only require a'minimum number of clubs.

In order to facilitate carrying a small number of clubs in a facile manner, a number of metal carriers with clips for holding the club shafts have been developed. The clips that hold the shafts do not grip them eifectively, and tend to wear oif the plating on the shafts. Furthermore, the clips do not always secure the clubs to the metal carrier, so that the clubs slide and are sometimes awkwardly positioned. Another drawback of the metal carriers is that they do not encase the clubs. This causes exposure of the clubs to both the elements and abusive use.

It is for the foregoing reasons that the inventor of this invention has invented the golf club carriers described in this specification. The carrier overcomes many of the deficiencies of the prior art as well as making a substantial step forward in the state of the art of golf club carriers by providing a practical, cheap, and easily manufactured carrier.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In summation, this invention provides a lightweight golf club carrier, which serves to protect the clubs, and is easily carried. The carrier has a simplified structure comprising a series of club holders which can be provided in singular series or by a single structure embodying a plurality of the holders. The holders, in the form of elongated hollow or tubular members are secured by a simple and eifective collar and base member, and are interconnected by a carrying strap.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention permits the speedy removal and replacement of the holders for purposes of limiting the size and weight of the carrier. Thus, when a golfer wants to carry a limited number of clubs, he can effectively tailor the size of the carrier to his needs.

A further alternative embodiment of this invention provides a space between the peripheral holders so that golfing equipment can be stored therein. The carrier also provides a fixed or removable golf ball and tee holder enabling the golfer to carry all the necessary equipment for a golf game in a lightweight and compact manner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of the golf club carrier of this invention, with a detachable golf ball and tee holder affiXed to the side thereof;

FIGURE 2 shows a broken view of a unitary collar and base member interconnected by a carrying strap;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2. showing one type of golf club holder seating in the base member which is described hereinafter;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmented partial section taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 which shows the holders in adjacent relationship, and the detachable golf ball and tee carrier;

FIGURE 5 shows a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of this invention having a series of peripheral holders which define an inner compartment;

FIGURE 6 shows a series of tubular holders which have been extruded in the form of a single structure; and

FIGURE 7 shows a series of retangular holders which have been extruded in the form of a single structure providing a golf club carrier having a rectangular exterior.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of the golf club carrier 10 of this invention, with a detachable golf ball and tee holder 12. The carrier has a main structure comprising a series of tubular club holders 14 which may be made from a polyethylene or plastic extrusion. It should be understood that the holders 14 do not have to be circular in cross section, but may be of any other suitable shape and a plurality of them may be extruded as a single structure as described hereinafter. The plastic extrusions are found to be light and easily adapted to carrying golf clubs because they do not scratch the clubs, and can be produdced for a modicum of capital investment. I

The .golf club carriers structural integrity is maintained by a base member 16 and a collar 18. The base member 16 has a series of cylindrical depressions 20 which serve to receive the tubular holders 14 therein. The receipt of the tubular holders 14 in the depressions 20 may be maintained by either heat setting their plastic structure or by using a plastic cement.

The tubular holders 14 are inserted through the collar 18, which is provided with a series of openings 22 of sufficient size to receive the tubular holders. The upper ends of the tubular holders 14 have a flared or belledout portion 24 so that they will not pass downwardly through the openings 22 in the collar.

A unique portion of this invention resides in the unitized base member 16, collar 18 and carrying strap 26 which is molded as a single piece. The unit comprising the base member 16 and the strap 26 connected to the collar 18 can be easily seen in FIGURE 2, wherein the strap has been fragmented for ease of disclosure. The whole golf club carrier can be made from a single molded plastic base member 16, carrying strap 26 and collar 18, which receive a plurality of tubular holders 14 through the collar which are seated in the base member. This structure may then be either cemented or heat set, thus providing a cheap and readily manufactured golf club carrier.

An alternative means for maintaining the tubular holders 14 in the base member 16 is shown in FIGURE 3. In this embodiment, the tubular holders 14 are flanged resulting in a tabbed protuberance 28. The openings 20 of the base member 16 are circumferentially channeled outwardly toward the bottom of the openings within the base members. This permits an easy insertion of the tubular holders 14 into the base member 16 so that the protuberances 28 will maintain the holders 14 therein.

The foregoing embodiment incorporating the protuberances 28 which seat within the base member 16 provide easy detachment and seating of the holders 14. This permits a variable number of holders 14, thus enhancing the size and weight characteristics of the carrier when only a limited number of clubs are required.

FIGURE 4 shows the golf ball and tee carrier 12 in greater detail as seen along line 44 of FIGURE 1. The ball and tee carrier 12 has a pair of cup shaped bottomless cavities 30 which are of a proper size to receive golf balls without them dropping through. A pair of metal clips 32 are placed 180 apart from each other on the periphery of each cavity 30, so that when a golf ball is placed in the cup-like cavities 30, it will be retained by the peripheral clips 32. The carrier 12 has a plurality of holes 34 which are of sufficient size to frictionally engage a tee which has been squeezed into them.

The entire golf ball and tee carrier 12 may be made from plastic which is of a resilient nature and provided with resilient arcuate grips 36 which grasp an outer portion of the holders 14. The carrier may also be molded or cast with the base member 16 or collar 18 as a lateral extension of either one. Thus, the entire golf club carrier 10 can comprise a unitized base member 16, golf ball and tee carrier 12, collar 18 and carrying strap 26, and the club holders 14 which are afixed thereto.

. FIGURE 5 shows an alternative embodiment of this lnvention utilizing a series of tubular holders 14 which are on the periphery of the base member 16 and collar 18. The collar 18 is formed from a plastic material in the same manner as the base member, but excludes the holes 22 in the central portion. In their place a web 38 is formed with an opening 40, and a cover 42 with a handle 44 provided which seats tightly within the opening. Thus, the central longitudinal space between tubular holders 14 in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 5 provides an easily accessible storage space with a cover 42 thereover.

FIGURE 6 shows a number of tubular holders 54 which have been extruded in a single structure 50 to provide a rigidified and unified golf club carrier. The single structure 50 has a base member 16 which may be either placed in abutting relationship over the ends of the tubular holders 54 or formed with a flange to provide a recess which will receive the configuration of the singular structure 50.

The unified structure 50 as shown in FIGURE 6 can be heat set or bonded to the base member 16. A collar 18 having the central portions forming the holes 22 removed, may be integrally formed with the base member and interconnected with the carrying strap 26, which completes the structure of the golf club carrier 10.

FIGURE 7 shows a unitary structure 60 incorporating a series of rectangular holders 62. The structure 60 may be extruded as a single extrusion simplifiying the manufacture of the carrier 10 and providing a simple attractive rectangular golf club carrier. It should be noted that the cross sectional configuration of the structure 60 may be altered for appearance sake by rounding the corner thereof.

The foregoing description of the instant invention while showing the preferred specific embodiments may utilize a different number of holders 14. Furthermore, various aspects of the invention may be changed to enhance the invention, and adapt it to the specific requirements of the user. Thus, the foregoing description is for illustrative purposes only.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club carrier comprising:

a plurality of elongated tubular holders in longitudinally adjacent relationship;

connective material of substantially the same type as that of said tubular holders extending between said tubular holders and bonding them in continuous webbed relationship;

a collar extending peripherally of and in engagement with at least a portion of the surrounding periphery of said elongated tubular holders adjacent an end portion thereof;

a base member aflixed to said tubular holders at a dis tal point from said collar and closing the ends of said holders at one end of said carrier; and

a carrying means integrally connected to said collar.

2. A golf club carrier comprising:

a plurality of elongated tubular holders in longitudinally adjacent relationship, said holders being formed of a single piece of extruded plastic material with continuous interconnecting webs along the entire length thereof, and of sufficient length to hold at least a substantial portion of a golf club shaft;

a collar surrounding the circumferential periphery of said elongated tubular holders adjacent an end portion thereof;

a carrying means integrally formed with said collar so that said golf club carrier can be lifted thereby; and

a suitable base at one end of said elongated tubular holders to prevent the passage of golf club shafts beyond said base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,655,282 10/1953 Dunbar 22023.8 X 2,961,124 11/1960 Hunter et al. 220-23.8 X 3,086,651 4/1963 Pou-pitch. 3,116,947 1/1964 Brownrigg. 3,350,131 10/1967 Tanzer 215100.5 X 2,705,518 4/1955 Burton. 2,970,629 2/ 1961 Masten. 3,172,681 3/1965 Moses. 1,951,492 3/ 1934 Schneider.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,057,960 5/ 1959 Germany.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner JAMES R. GARRETT, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 220-23.8 

